The art of selling: presale basics

By Precision Senior Marketing

Precision Senior Marketing

In today’s sales environment, many clients will shop around for insurance and meet with several agents before making their final decision. With that being said, it is now more important than ever to make sure you’re leading with your best foot forward. This blog covers a few areas that might seem like common sense, but we felt they were worth reiterating.

1. Dress for success

If a client meets with two insurance agents, both possessing a good
understanding of the marketplace, but one agent is dressed and acts more
professionally than the other, the more professional agent will get the
sale nine times out of 10.

An insurance agent’s attire should be professional, but it should also be dictated by the markets they serve. If you work in rural areas or primarily with blue collar clientele wearing a three-piece suit might not be
in your best interest.

For most agents, wearing a suit or a tie with a sport coat is a safe way to ensure you make a positive first impression. You can find nice suits at very affordable prices these days. A couple places to check out are: Macy’s, JC Penny and Overstock just to name a few.

2. Proper appearance and hygiene

People still judge a book by its cover, and we judge other people by what we see on the outside. Choosing to ignore common personal grooming habits may indicate to those around you that you do not take pride in your work because you don't take pride in your appearance.

Be clean and neat, including your fingernails, teeth, shoes, hair and face. If you’re a smoker, don’t smoke just before your appointments.

3. Punctuality

This is a simple way to show courtesy and respect for others: your customers, your clients and your colleagues. When you show up late for appointments, meetings or meals, you send a clear message to others that your time is more important than theirs.

Plan on getting to your appointment approximately 15 minutes early. This gives you a little bit of flexibility if any unforeseen circumstances take place. Print out directions from MapQuest or Google Maps prior to leaving for your appointment. Also, many cell phones now come standard with GPS and mapping software as well.

My next blog will cover appointment setting essentials, an education based sales presentation, and doing the right thing: earning a customer is more important than making a sale.

Keep in mind the ideas expressed in these articles are strictly views and opinions that we’ve collected throughout the years. They are concepts aimed at giving agents a different perspective and new ideas to help increases sales and grow their business. They should not be viewed
as fact or the only way to conduct business.